In 2011 the US Intelligence Chief said that Russia and China seem to be a greater threat for the US than Iran and North Korea. What if these countries put together forces, especially on the basis of the current conflicts and international tension.
In my opinion, from these four countries only Russia and China could strengthen their cooperation in nuclear and missile technology in the future. The possibility of cooperation in these fields between Russia and China with North Korea are almost zero for different reasons. The most important of them is that both countries do not want that North Korea become a recognized nuclear weapon state with the capacity to launch a nuclear attack to other countries inside and outside the Asia and the Pacific region. I have the opinion that both countries are doing their best within the six-parties talk to impede that North Korea achieves a full nuclear capacity and with the missile technology that allow the country to launch a nuclear attack to any other country. According to different sources, North Korea has the knowledge and the nuclear material to produce a nuclear bomb, but does not have the capability to produce an effective bomb and the delivery means to launch it.
The relationship between Iran and Russia and China is somehow different, but even in this case, China and Russia will not provide Iran with the technology to produce a nuclear bomb or an intercontinental strategic missile with nuclear capability.
Bilateral and multilateral collaboration between these countries is conceivable under any number of scenarios, especially if we are only working within the realm of the hypothetical. Some of these scenarios have well-documented historical precedents.
The A.Q. Khan Proliferation network included some of the countries identified in your original query. This case illustrates the possibility that weapons technologies could be passed by one country to the other using informal channels.
It’s possible that some of these countries may have expressed interest in the drones that have been downed inside Iranian airspace over the past decade.
Finally, we must consider the fact that many of the technologies involved in nuclear work and the production of missiles have other nonmilitary purposes and can therefore be purchased from completely legitimate businesses. Stranger things have happened in the Internet age.
Possibility of such cooperation may not be ruled out altogether. China and Russia have extensive conventional military collaboration. However both the powers will be on guard in case of nuclear technology transfer. That said, some kind of indirect collaboration may take place as identified by Prof Cornelius. I go more or less with him.
Under the garb of civilian nuclear collaboration technology transfer may take place as was the case between India and Canada and it may take place now also between India and the US. Technology transfer in any form in nuclear field between N Korea and Iran again may not be ruled out.
in my opinion, it is not forgettable that Russia and China are members of UNSC and naturally they have to committed to international norms as normative states.
I think that they see military policy as main elements for making balance situation in sensitive areas like buffer zones and keeping their influence geopolitical aspects.
it has to be considered China has economic approach to more have influence, in this context, we may look at its activity in Africa or South America.
on the other hand, Russia better knows military game and approach might lead to zero results.
finally, we are in Geo economy ,era in 21 century more than being in geopolitics by using military instruments.
obviously, Iran and North Korea have different situation with respect to economic, Geo political situation in the world. we can not tie their abilities and opportunities.
I don't see the mutual benefit from power-players like Russia and China cooperating on the sensitive issue of nuclear proliferation. Actually, one of the first lessons of the Cold War was Nixon's Detente, which focused on exacerbating the divide between Russia and China. In addition, North Korea's tests were shown not to have the radiation levels consistent with a fully nuclear weapon, but that wasn't advertised. Their detonations were more consistent with massive amounts of plain old TNT.
Russia does fancy itself a global power player and may be interested in supporting Middle Eastern ambitions. But the sanctions are literally killing their economy and they already produce more oil than they can sell, so there's really a limited benefit to supporting Iranian nuclear ambitions.
Not a specialist on nuclear armament and missile technology but I have some clue on the competing hegemonic policies of present powers. What Russia, China, Iran and North Korea do is not happening in a void and it is not just dependent on their attitude. Since the supposed end of the Cold War there are some countries, the United States for example, that could not live without creating a different "global threat" every three or four years, to keep their war-drugged economy ongoing and justify an unbelievable amount of public money spending on military and "un-" security policies. Obviously, other countries rightly see that level of spending as an announce of what they can perceive (and in fact is) as a future balance of power "according to the US". More aggressive tones, more sanctions, more attempts to "isolate" the "enemy" and more likely a worrying (and warring) answer and temptation to form even unlikely coalitions. All specialists of the Cold War will tell you that the tactics has been used by the hawks inside Moscow and Washington leadership whenever some window of peaceful relationship was in sight.
The current crisis going on in Syria and Ukraine; has sparked considerable debate over the possibility of a new Eastern Bloc, comprised of former SCO members and possibly even Iran, Syria and North Korea. The possibility of said Nations increasing cooperation in the field of Nuclear and Ballistic technology is as improbable as it possible. Each of these Nations are unified in the sense that they have a common enemy, the United States, and this could be the driving force to establish a new Eurasian Bloc to serve as a counter-weight to NATO. Although, such a coalition could only materialize if Russia and China agree to pursue a common agenda, which is unlikely. It's important to note that both Russia and China, despite their recent cooperation in years, are still strategic rivals, and have been for a long time. A myriad of issues, including managing their massive borders, as well as Economic agreements in the field of Oil & Gas, and defending the design of their military hardware from one another; which have hindered the possibility of a strategic partnership. As M. K, Bhadrakumar describes, and rightfully so. "China is far too self-centred and ‘pragmatic’ a power to think of joining alliances, and as for Russia, it is fiercely independent in foreign policies and, intensely conscious of its proud history, it can never be a junior partner to another power" (Neither Allies nor Rivals).
Bhadrakumar, M. K. "Russia, China – Neither Allies nor Rivals." – Indian Punchline. N.p., 22 Dec. 2014. Web. 11 May 2015.